On the same day that I bought the game that hardcore Nintendo fans have been dying for, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, I also bought Wii Fit, the “non-game” that everyone else is talking about. Originally, I was planning on giving it a try and then posting some impressions. However, as I was changing into my workout clothes, I noticed they no longer fit me. This made me take a long look at myself, and I decided a different plan of action might be better.

Long-time stalkers might have realized that I am getting a bit… chunky. I blame the holidays for the weight gain, but I blame myself for the fact that it is still there long after the holidays are over. I recently found out that I have officially crossed the line into “obese” (by Japanese standards) for my height. It is time to do something about it. Thus, The Great Experiment.

What follows is my not-very-scientific experiment plan:

Goal: My goal is to see how much weight I can lose before my wedding that will take place on March 29th.

Process: I will attempt to use Wii Fit every day for a minimum of 30 minutes. The maximum time I will spend on it in one day is 60 minutes. During this time I will try to do several different exercises.

Eating Habits: I will keep my diet similar to the one I have now. I will eat 3 daily meals with snacks once or twice a day. Also, there will no doubt be occasional over-consumption of food and drink on weekends. For this experiment, my exact caloric intake will not be calculated. I do not plan to change my diet in any significant way, however with any fitness program there will be the desire to eat healthier and possibly less. I will try to make note of any large changes.

Exercise beyond Wii Fit: I ride my bicycle to and from work every morning, so I put in at least 1 hour of cycling every day, as I have for the last 4 years. Despite all this cycling, I have still managed to slowly gain weight over the years. Wii Fit will be my exercise in addition to this bike riding.

Recording: I will make a log every day of how much exercise I do with Wii Fit, which exercises I do and other general notes. I will try to mention my progress towards my goal and feelings towards Wii Fit and exercise in general. At the end of every week I will also weigh myself, and as the weeks go on, I’ll chart these results.

Now for the embarrassing personal details:

Status before starting Wii Fit: My height is 176 cm (a little over 5’9”) and my weight is 80 kg (about 176 lbs.) That puts my BMI at 25.73. Physically, there is a definite Wisconsin beer belly forming. See photo below:

I will begin the experiment tonight. My next report will be in one week. Wish me luck!